Is Jammeh after Nkurunziza's wealth?

Buhari, Conde with Jammeh looking on at AU in Addis  

Our blog post concerning the Burundi crisis that reported on Jammeh assuming the role of the self-appointed spokesman of his Burundian rogue counterpart has attracted a lot of mail from our esteemed readers, almost all, opposing the Gambian dictator's role actively campaigning against the proposed African Union's (AU) 5,000-man peacekeeping force being deployed in the strive-stricken country.

The likes of Yaya Jammeh - and other African dictators - working behind the scenes, are reluctant to endorse AU's move to deploy the African Prevention and Protection Mission in Burundi ( MAPROBU) for self-preservation purposes.   Most of those African leaders working behind the scenes, including Jammeh who was acted as their spokesperson, will be facing their respective electorate in 2016 and 2017.

Almost all, to the leader, has done or is in the process of doing exactly what the Burundi leader has done in stay in power for another term i.e. manipulate the constitution that allows him to extend his term beyond the two terms allowed previously stipulated by the constitution.

A writer opined "Jammeh's siding with Nkurunziza to block AU's move...is primitive, yet [it's] hinged on calculated bets made in the past that dealt him a winning hand..." To support this theory, the writer appears to be inviting us to connect the dots by saying "...support the rogue that is about to exit the corridors of power, win his trust and secure his stolen assets 'for safe keeping'."

A pattern has already been established by Jammeh. He did it to "Mobutu (gold), Abacha (cash and oil concessions) Charley-Boy Taylor (cash and real estate), Gbagbo (cash/gold/real estate)...and now Pious Pierre Nkurunziza.

We will add Qaddafi to Jammeh list of victims with the late dictator's investments in hotels (Atlantic Hotel) and other real estate holdings still in dispute between Jammeh and the various warring factions in Libya.

As Yaya Jammeh's role in his latest fray into another troubled spot comes into sharper focus, we will be monitoring his movements and those of his "business partners" who specialize in scams and petty criminality of the sort expected of street thugs.  It will not come as a surprise if Jammeh is not invited soon [since the Burundi leader has his hands full to pay Jammeh a visit] on a state visit to Bujumbura for his Addis Ababa grandstanding on behalf of Nkurunziza  in the coming days and weeks.